WHITEWATER REGION (Beachburg) — The Save Our Scotiabank (SOS) committee met yesterday at the program room inside the Whitewater-Bromley Community Health Centre (WBCHC) in Beachburg. Chair Joey Trimm welcomed the group and each member gave an update on their progress so far. Discussed were communications and data from the community survey and various media outlets, as well as details of the upcoming town hall meeting.
Scotiabank will be proceeding with the town hall meeting as scheduled for this upcoming Tuesday, January 28 at 6:00 p.m. at Beachburg Public School (BPS), and SOS is urging residents from all areas of Whitewater Region to attend and show their support. The committee fears Cobden’s branch may be the next to close and believes a strong outcry from the entire community will help to garner the attention needed to prevent such an act. Committee member Del O’Brien spoke about the Banking Act and all committee members stressed the importance of turning up, even if you don’t bank in Beachburg or with Scotiabank.
A notice of motion was brought forward last night at the meeting of the Council of the Township of Whitewater Region by Councillor Dave Mackay, who is also an SOS committee member. The recommendation was brought forward because the Township and account holders of the Beachburg Scotiabank branch were informed of the impending closure of the branch, to be effective in June. The motion states access to banking services is essential to the community and attracting economic development. After the resolution was passed on December 4, 2019, Scotiabank was called upon to reconsider its decision regarding the imminent closure of the Beachburg branch, due to the negative impacts the closure will have on the community.
The motion also states, “according to local historians, the roots of the branch date back to 1873 and the founding of the Bank of Ottawa, which later amalgamated with the Bank of Nova Scotia in 1919.” It also says, “rural bank branches closures are numerous despite corporate billion dollar profits.” Since banking services are regulated by the federal government, the Council will, “call on the Government of Canada through the Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Associate Minister of Finance and Minister of Rural Economic Development to implement an immediate moratorium on the closure of rural bank branches to allow for a detailed review by a joint Committee of Parliament or other means determined by the Government.” Motioned by Councillor Charlene Jackson and seconded by Councillor MacKay, the motion was carried.
The SOS committee has organized a friendly picket line outside of the Beachburg branch, 1765 Beachburg Road, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28. They will be making signs this Sunday, January 26 at 1:00 p.m. upstairs in the Westmeath Recreation Centre to make picket signs. Staple guns, wood, poster boards and markers are needed to complete the project before the meeting on Tuesday evening at BPS. During the friendly picket, participants will be able to warm up inside of the Beachburg Public Library until 5:00 p.m. and in the program room at WBCHC until the meeting begins.
